Amalgamator.



G. R. BAUER.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1913.

1,1 14,573. Patented 001;. 20, 1914.

III

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTOYLITHOH WASHING raw. 0. c

UNITED STATES PATENT orr on.

GUSTAV R. BAUER, 0F OGEANPARK, CALIFORNIA.

AMALGAMATOB.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV R. BAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oceanpark, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amalgamators,

and the principal object is to provide a sluice-way with a plurality of amalgamating plates and screens, certain of which are removable while the apparatus is in operation.

It is also an object to provide an amalgamator of the type formed in a sluice-way with a plurality of revoluble amalgamating members which are removable, interposed between which are a plurality of stationary amalgamating screens.

It is further object to provide an amalgainating apparatus carried in a sluice-way with a return sluice or fiume adapted to carry away debris which is permitted to escape from the sluice-way before reaching the amalgamating devices.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming therewith the application for Letters Patent: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the amalgamator. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the paddlewheels. Fig. 4; is a perspective view of one of the cylindrical amalgamating screens. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2 viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of a modification of the rili'le box. Fig. 7 is a per spective detail View of one of the metallic spoon shaped riflies.

, More specifically in the drawings, 10 designates the terminal end of a flume into which has been thrown river sand or tailings from a mill bearing line or flour gold, this flume preferably ending inan end wall 11, having an opening in its floor, which drops into the rifiie box 12 provided with transversely disposed riflie bars 14:, this riflle box being interchangeable according to the type of material used and forms of connection to the sluice-way 16 from the flume 10, the rifile boX being preferably supplied with adeflecting board 15 in which are cut rifiies capable of segregating larger particles of the metal to be saved.

The sluice-way 16 is preferably, as shown, of elongated construction common to this Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 14, 1913.

Patented Oct. 2c, 1914.. Serial No. 767,589.

type of separators, having a floor 17 which is preferably formed with a slotted opening 18 adjacent the connection to the riiiie box 12, a chamber 19 being formed there under by means of suitable inclosing walls, the eXit from this chamber being controlled by a slide 20. The floor 17 is preferably i11- clined to the proper degree so that the water carried thereon will readily flow. at the desired speed, and from a point just below the sand opening 18 a copper plate 21 is inserted in the floor and carried the full length, this plate being plated in theusual manner by silver and covered with a coating of amalgam so that the particles of amalgable metal will be incorporated therewith. To further secure the amalgamation of these particles floating in the current a plurality of paddle-wheels 22 are provided having shafts 23 which extend in suitable bearings in the side walls of the sluice-way 16, a plurality of paddle blades 24 being mounted thereon, the wall itself being adapted to be encircled and surrounded by a cylindrical sleeve 25 preferably formed of copper wire screen of suitable mesh which is suitably treated with the amalgam. v I

To further insure the complete removal of all the amalgable material from the ingredients carried in the sluice-way vertical guide-ways 26 are provided into which are inserted transversely disposed screen plates 27, these plates being also formed of copper screen and provided with amalgam in the usual manner. Below the desired number of amalgamating wheels and screens a gate 28 is provided to regulate the amount of How thereby, or entirely cut elf the latter and throw the water and material carried thereby into openings 29 adjacent and above the gate, which communicate with chamfalls from the chamber 19 and carries this latter away from the vicinity and into the stream bed or other location provided.

The openings 29 are provided with gates 33 and to properly carry the fiow the rearwardly disposed portions of these chambers and the width of the floor 81 is materially increased so that the inclosing top 34 on each side is of the triangular form shown.

The amalgamating floor 21 is extended preferably some distance beyond the gate 28 and terminates in a trough 35 which is transversely disposed to the sluice-way and is provided with a rifl'le board 36 to further insure the collection of particles of metal which may have escaped the amalgamating process.

Depending on the character of the material operated on, a rifiie box of the type shown in Fig. 6 is sometimes used, on the floor of which, instead of the transverse rifiies, are mounted a plurality of staggered spoons 37, which are secured by suitable rivets 38 to the floor so that the material is agitated to a greater extent and materially assists in the operation.

In the operation of this device the gold bearing material is carried from the flume 10 into the riffle box 12 and from this point of agitation is carried into the sluice-way 16 containing the amalgamating devices and plates. The floating gold being suspended in passing through the riflie box is carried by the opening 18 where larger particles of debris, as sand, fall into the chamber 19 and are carried away with a certain amount of the water allowed to pass therethrough and would ordinarily block up under the device, this being prevented by the flow of water through the gates 33 and chambers 30 and impinging upon the debris deposited opposite the exit 32.

In passing down the sluice-way the gold carried by the water meets with the screens 25 as they are revolved by the paddle-wheels, and as these screens take up their full amount of metal they may be left out or removed separately, and wheels that have been newly coated placed in their stead so that the operation can be carried on continuously and efficiently and the full use of water obtained without any delay incident to the operation.

The plates 27 may also be left out as required and the gate 28 may be closed to clean out the trough 35, or to throw the full stream of water through the chamber 30 and against the sand passing through the opening controlled by the slide 20.

vVhat I claim is:

1. An amalgamating apparatus, comprising a sluice-way having a flat amalgamating plate on the bottom thereof, a cylindrical amalgam carrying screen revolubly mounted in the sluice-way and extending transversely thereof with the lower point of the periphery thereof spaced a short distance from the fiat amalgamating plate, and means controlled by the flow of liquid through the sluice-way for rotating said screen.

2. In an amalgamator, an inclined sluiceway having a flat bottom 'and vertical side walls, a flat amalgamating plate on the bottom of said sluice-way, a paddle wheel revolubly and removably mounted in the side walls of the sluice-way and extending transversely of the latter, said paddle wheel adapted to be rotated by the flow of liquid through the sluice-way, an amalgam carrying screened cylinder removably mounted on said paddle wheel with the periphery thereof spaced a short distance from the flat amalgamating plate, and means at the lower end of the sluice-way for regulating the flow of liquid therethrough and thereby regulate the rotation of the paddle wheel.

3. In an amalgamator, an inclined sluice way having a fiat bottom and vertical side walls, a flat amalgamating plate on the bottom of said sluice-way, a paddle wheel revolubly and removably mounted in the side walls of the sluice-way and extending trans versely of the latter, said paddle wheel adapted to be rotated by the flow of liquid through the sluiceqvay, an amalgam carrying screened cylinder removably mounted on said paddle wheel with its periphery spaced a short distance from the flat amalgamating plate, and means at the lower end of the sluice-way for regulating the flow of liquid therethrough and thereby regulate the rotation of the paddle-wheel, said sluiceway formed with an opening in its bottom adjacent its upper end to permit the passage of heavy materials therethrough to prevent said materials being carried over the amalgamating plate and against the cylindrical screened cylinder.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this first day of May, 1913.

GUSTAV R. BAUER.

Witnesses:

Inna Wnncn, MARIE BATTEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Fatents, Washington, D. 0. 

